A baffling incident capped off a day of protests at the Coast Guard base in Alameda, as officers opened fire on a U-Haul whose driver seemed intent on ramming into something, leaving two people injured.

Thursday morning started very contentiously at the Coast Guard Island base in Alameda where some 100 federal agents have been deployed for a possible immigration crackdown, as two protesters were injured in various fracases where protesters were attempting to block agents from entering the base. Thursday evening ended even more contentiously, even though most protesters had already filtered out and gone home. KTVU reports that a U-Haul truck was apparently trying to ram into something, and two people were injured, including the driver of the U-Haul, after federal agents opened fire.

A team from KPIX got video of the incident, seen below.

This all happened around 10 pm at the base’s entrance at Embarcadero and Livingston Street, where protesters had been all day. The U-Haul can be seen backing up toward Coast Guard officers, who are shouting at the driver to stop with their guns pointed. What seems like dozens of shots are fired, the U-Haul then speeds forward, stops suddenly, and then drives away.

It’s unclear if the U-Haul driver even has anything to do with the protests. One protester who was there all day called him an "independent actor" and said he was not affiliated with them. And the driver apparently ditched the vehicle and left on foot before being apprehended. The Bay Area News Group reports that “Law enforcement officials later located the vehicle,” though per that publication, “They did not say where it was found.”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement picked up by KTVU that the driver of the vehicle was "driving erratically and attempting to weaponize the vehicle to ram."

"When the vehicle’s actions posed a direct threat to the safety of Coast Guard and security personnel, law enforcement officers discharged several rounds of defensive live fire," the DHS statement added.

The Coast Guard put out their own, more measured statement.

“Coast Guard personnel issued multiple verbal commands to stop the vehicle, the driver failed to comply and proceeded to put the vehicle in reverse,” that organization said on Twitter. “When the vehicle’s actions posed a direct threat to the safety of Coast Guard and security personnel, law enforcement officers discharged several rounds of live fire.”

They added that “No Coast Guard personnel were injured during the incident,” and that “The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the lead agency for this investigation.”

The Chronicle reports that the U-Haul driver was shot in the stomach, and that the DHS added he was “being held for mental health evaluation.” Some bystander, likely a protester, was also hit by “a fragment,” according to the agency, though that person was treated for minor injuries and has already been released from the hospital.

This incident might be nothing, just an unstable person who decided to cause trouble at the wrong place, with little connection to what the protests were all about. Or we may learn it’s something different. But it goes to show that even if we’re optimistic that Trump won’t send troops to SF, the entire situation Bay Area-wide remains very fluid and unpredictable.  

Related: Protesters Gather Near Coast Guard Island In Alameda Ahead of Immigration Operation, at Least Two Already Injured [SFist]

Image: OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 23: Police officers investigate a U-Haul truck that was involved in an incident outside of Coast Guard Island Alameda on October 23, 2025 in Oakland, California. U.S. Coast Guard police opened fire on a U-Haul truck after it backed up a ramp at the entrance to Coast Guard Island Alameda, where US Customs and Border Patrol agents are staying. Earlier in the day, U.S. President Donald Trump told San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie that he was suspending planned immigration raids in San Francisco. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)